I originally went there to pay my respects to my six times great grandfather Joseph Prince (the blind preacher) who is buried in the crypt along with his lifelong friends George Whitefield and Reverend Parsons. The tour was absolutely amazing. We learned so much about Whitefield and his ministry. Our tour guide Jerry did such a great job and was so informative and knowledgeable and did such a great job. We all agreed it was one of the best tours we had ever been on. I highly recommend anyone traveling to New England add this tour to their list.See more..
Heading down Pleasant Street, I came to the church of the First Religious Society Unitarian Universalist. It was a fine example of Federal architecture from the perfect symmetry and decorative moldings above the tops of the front doors to the fanlight windows above the front door and tall narrow double-hung windows as well as up on the tower. The decorative column-like moldings on the front of the building and the pinnacles on the tower add more to style. The bracketing on the rooflines adds to the building’s attractiveness besides providing reinforced support for the roof, tower, and steeple. That’s another feature I like seeing on historic buildings. What I liked best about this building was all the detailed carpentry on the two stages of the tower just below the steeple. Great workmanship! The congregation was founded in 1725. The church was built in 1801. The parish hall was built in 1873 in a style consistent with the church. Like many other buildings in Newburyport, this church is on the National Register of Historic Places. The reason for the delay in submitting this review was due to a months-long loss of my ability to post photos with my reviews. If you found this review useful, please click HELPFUL.See more..
4.0Immaculate Conception Church(1 review) - VICTORIAN GOTHIC CHURCH WITH INTERESTING MASONRY DETAIL Spent < 1 hour Churches & Cathedrals
The Immaculate Conception Church was the first Catholic church built in the area around Newburyport. The current building was built in the Victorian Gothic style. It was complete in 1853. The existing spire and a second one were added in 1873. The second spire was lost in a fire in 1945. I particularly liked and admired the trinity windows over the right side door and above all the side windows as well as the three-sectioned window over the center door. I thought that the white masonry trim – most likely marble – around the doors and windows added to the appearance of the building. In all, I think the building is an attractive piece of architecture. I rate the Immaculate Conception Church at 4.25 and can recommend a visit to those who appreciate architecture. The reason for the delay in submitting this review was due to a months-long loss of my ability to post photos with my reviews. If you found this review useful, please click HELPFUL.See more..
4.0Belleville Congregational Church(1 review) - GREAT EXAMPLE OF ROMANESQUE REVIVAL ARCHITECTURE Spent < 1 hour Churches & Cathedrals
Driving down High Street to cut over to another area of Newburyport, I came to Belleville Congregational Church. This church is truly a stunning piece of architecture. I wasn’t expecting to see a church like this in a community with a population under 20,000. I parked and got out of my car to take in all its architectural features. As I was admiring it and thinking the word stunning, a local woman came by and said she always marveled at it because it was such a stunning piece of architecture --- my thought exactly. She liked the same features that caught my attention --- the two tall towers, a clock, two belfries, a large round windows, and several round-top stained glass windows. I learned that the roots of this congregation date back to 1761. It has had its struggles over the years. Its second building was destroyed in a bad storm. A third church was destroyed by fire. This fourth structure was built in 1867. And, it is a beautiful church. From its architectural lines and features, I identified it as being Romanesque Revival style which was popular in the 1850’s and 1860’s. The Fiske Chapel beside h church is in the Greek Revival style. I thought the two styles blended pretty well together. I rate Belleville Congregational Church at 4.50. It didn’t quite make a 5.0 because it was not a large cathedral. But, for a smaller church, it’s still very noteworthy and worth a visit. The reason for the delay in submitting this review was due to a months-long loss of my ability to post photos with my reviews. If you found this review useful, please click HELPFUL.See more..
